Dry-cell battery



' Nov. 16 i926.

' H. w. JONES DRY CELL BATTERY Filed May 4,

M wwww Potential Nov. 16, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

HOMER W. JONES, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL C ARBON COMPANY INC., A GORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

DRY-GEL; BATTERY.

Application filed May 4, 1922. Serial No. 558,536.

This invention relates to electrical batteries in which the cells are laterally alined within a casing. Such batteries comprise one or more rows of cells arranged as compactly as possible and connected to give the voltage or amperage requisite for the intended use. The cells are more or less rigidly secured in position so that the casing may be handled without danger of displacing them.

Cylindrical dry cells are commonly used in batteries of the general type above described. According to priorpractice, pitch, wax, or other non-conductive material is filled into the spaces between and about the cells to insulate them and hold. them inposition. I have discovered that this procedure, heretofore considered essential, may bedispensed with, and have devised an improved and more economical assembly. Means for rigidlysccuring'the cells in a simple and offective manner, together with an improved casing and binding post attachment, are provided by the present invention. Further advantages of the invention will be apparent from the succeeding description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is. a vertical longitudinal section through the battery casing, showing the cells in elevation,

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line LII-11, Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view showing the method of attaching the binding posts.

Reference numeral 1' denotes an oblong casing preferably made of resilient sheet metal and having its ends rounded to conform to the contour of cylindrical dry cells 2 of well known type. The length of cas. ing 1 is such that the chosen number of cells may fit snuglytherein, and the sides of the casing preferably have a resilientengagement with the cell walls. Each of the cells 2 is encased in an insulating wrapper 3, which may be made of paraftined paper or other suitable material. The cells rest upon a paraifined chipboard sheet 4:, which covers the casing bottom 5. The lower margin of the wrapper may abut upon the sheet 4t, shown, or it may be of greater length also be used. cellsmay be held between walls of the cars-.-

than the cell and be folded beneath it. In some cases jackets with bottom caps may be used. The number, shape, and arrangement of cells may of course be varied.

Casing 1 is composed of a sheet metal plate bent to form the wall 6 of the casing, and having its abutting ends secured by suitable means, not shown. NVall'tl is united to bottom 5 by a joint 7. Cover 8 is similarly secured by joint 9 at the top of the wall. A handle 10, of any suitable kind, illustrated as a band of cotton webbing, may be secured to the cover 8. Rivets 10 secure the handle and also attach a chi board'lining l to the under side of tie cover.

The casing is constructed without the use of solder, whichhas heretofore been the means employe for securing the parts of metal battery'cases together. I have found that superior cases may be made with other securing means. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the meeting edges of the metal arelcrimped together to form a waterproof joint. In order that the cells may be seized between the top and bottom of the casing under suiiicient pressure to hold them securely, it isin .most cases necessary that a joint of the casing shall be completed while the assembly is under compression in, a press or the like. Soldering does not adapt itself to such an operation, whereas crimping offers no difficulties.

' Some methods of welding and riveting, such as those employing electrical heating, can It will be apparent that the ing other than those ordinarily considered as the top and bottom. In accordance with my invention, the joint which is completed while the parts are held under compression is made by crimping or its equivalent. The

wall which supplies the pressure for holding the cells is not necessarily the last to be put in'place.

The means for securing the tion comprises chocks 11 of relatively soft and resilient material. Soft wood strips, triangular in cross section, are suitable. One or more strips may be used. The pitch seal 12 of cells 2 does not extend to the top of the zinc container electrodes, and the ancells in posinnlar zinc rim '13, thus left exposed at the top of each cell, is caused to cut into the Wooden checks 11 b" placing the chocks, apex downward, upon the rims and forcing kj' the cover into closed position. The nine may be sunlr into the wood. for a suitable distance, inch. 'Illhe cover is secured, while under compassion, to the side wall of the The wood of the choclrs has a 0 .l V l- *ree of resilience which operates,

alter the ressure on the cover has been removei'l, to torce the checks tightly against the embedded cell Walls. l referably one or more of the metallic casing surfaces is flexed outwardly in the completed assembly, and exerts an inward resilient pressure upon the cells. ln the form of the invention illus trated, the metallic cover 8 presses inwardly upon the checks ll. Other portions of the casing, such as the side walls, might be used to press upon and hold the cells.

deferringespecially to Fig. 3, the binduig posts 1 secured to the cover 8 in the following manner: The cover is perforated at 15 and insulating Washers 16 and 17 are placed about the perforation, above and below the cover. The lower Washer 17 is relatively thin. and flexible. A rivet 18 of considerably smaller diameter than the perf0- w ration is passed downwardly therethrough and has lower end 19 expanded against the Washer 17. iir collar 18 is integral with the rivet and rests upon the upper Washer l6. The river, has'a threaded extension 20- 35 which is screwed into a binding post nut 21.

When the rivet is drawn up by properly expanc lug the lower end, the flexible Washer l? is forced between the rivet stern and the cover, eli ectively insulating these parts from each. other and closing the perforation 15. To seal the perforation still more securely, a .ifllfalllll'ed paper washer may be placed be tween cover 8 and lower washer 17, it desired. 3r connector 22 is secured beneath the head 17 of rivet 18 and is attached to the z nc po' end cell 2.

' t is connected to the carbon pole ipo'site end-cell, Connection to the circuit may be made through a lead bly attached to the binding post. tteries prepared according to this inhe cells are more securely and pery held in position than in batteries type in which pitch or other plastic ended upon to hold the cells. Also, proved battery Weighs considerably an that ol the pitch-embedded type the same cubic content. A better t and n'iarked economy in manufacilt from the elimination of the plastic material and the substitution of the improved means of uniting the sections of the casino".

T aware that. it has been proposed to batteries ha ing cells removably The opposite ter- I menace held Within a casing spring means or the like, and I make no claim to such devices.

My invention, as regards the cell holding means, resides in the provision of a construction tor securely positioning cells in a s removable manner without the use p or similar materials. Various modifications ot' the holding means described may be adopted, such, as strips secured to the cover, or members not deformed by contact ivitl' the zinc cell Walls, but having depressions or locking means properly locatedto engage and hold the cells. Such modifications, and others accomplishing equivalent results, fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I I claim:

1. A battery comprising a casing having a cover a plurality of cells in the casing, each cell having side Walls extended at their top, and a strip of material deformable by pressure and held between the tops of the cell side Walls and the casing cover under suilicient compression to deform it.

2. A battery comprising a casing, a plurality of cylindrical dry cells in said casing, each of said cells having the rim of its zinc cup upstanding above its seal, a plurality of penetrable strips havinga narrowed surface continguous to the rims, and a cover for said casing adapted to be forced inward to cause said rims to cut into said strips.

3. A battery comprising a casing, a metallic cover therefor having a perforation, a flexible Washer disposed on one side of said perforation, a headed metallic member passing through said perforation, said member and head both being considerably smaller than the perforation, said head being forced against said Washer, whereby the washer is caused to enter the perforation about the member and insulate the same from the cover, and means for connecting the member to a cell of the battery.

l. The invention according to claim 3, in which a relatively stifi Washer is placed about the perforation on the side opposite to the flexible washer.

5. In a multi-cell battery unit, a sheet metal casing and a cover therefor, a series of battery cells arranged side by side in l ne within the casing and having center and she'll contacts, so stantially aligned straps connecting said cells in series, and an insulating spacer block straddling said connecting straps and compressed by said cover upon the cells to maintain the latter against displacement within the casin 6. In a multi-cell battery unit, a sheet metal casing and a cover therefor, 21 series or battery cells arranged side by side in line within the casing; and having center and shell contacts, insulating jackets surrounding the shell of said cells and extending above the same, straps passing over said hill lit)

jackets and serving to connect the cells inseries, together with an insulating spacer block straddling said straps and compressed by said cover upon the cells to maintain the latter against displacement Within the casing.

7. A multi-cell battery comprising a casing having a cover, a series of cells arranged therein and provided WitlLup-standing j ackets of crushable insulating material, in combination with 'a spaced block of insulating mater al interposed between said cells and ihc cover and being longitudinally recessed on its cell-face to present relatively sharp longitudinal edges adapted to crush the cell jackets at the point of contact therewith under the pressure of the cover.

8. A battery comprising a plurality of cells, each comprising a zinc cup member, a container having an elastic wall in which said cells are permanently encased, and

crushable means held under compression between the edge of the zinc cup of each oell and said elastic wall under sufficient compression to deform said crushable means and to flex said elastic Wall.

In testimony whereof, I atlix my signature HOMER W. JONES. 

